Wash-board



/fwww wif) W7 dg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRY L. MESERVEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WASH-BOARD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,321, dated Ma1cl1`20, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. MEsERvEY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Wash-Board to be Used in a /Vash-Tub with a Hand Washing-Roller, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, making part of this specification, in Which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved wash-board. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the same.

The ordinary hard but slightly elastic Washboards, when used in connection with hand washing-rollers, are objectionable on account of the noise and the liability of the cloths to being torn or injured.

By my invention I entirely obviate these objectionsrby makinga wash-board having a flexible and compressible surface, so that in use undulatory vibrations of the surface will follow the motions of hand washing-rollers in whatsoever direction the said hand washingrollers may be moved. Thus the article to be washed is always subject to about the saine pressure and is not subjected to a harsh rubhing` or tearing friction.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and use.

In the said drawings, A represents the body ofthe Wash-board, Which is surrounded on three sides by a narrow ledge, a, in the'ordinary manner, forming a water-tight joint. To one side of the board Ais secured in any suitable manner a covering, B, of rubber, canvas, or

other suitable material, having a smooth ilexible surface, which is so fitted as to leave a space between the cover B and the board A, which is stuffed with curled hair, wool, or

Vother elastic material, b, Fig. 2, thus rendering the rubbing-surface of the wash-board exible and compressible, so that it will yield or undulate in any direction that the hand Washingroller may be passed over it in the opera tion ot' washing the cloths. This undulating motion of the rul'ibing-surface of the wash-board as the roller passes over it causes the cloths to be moved up and down and the Water to be rapidly worked through them, thus extract-ing the dirt in a most expeditious manner, While all noise and liability of the cloths beingtorn are avoided.

Myimproved wash-board, when used in combination with the hand Washing-rollers?works upon thc cloths in an almost identical manner with the natural method of Washing with the two hands. I claim for it two advantages: lrst, cloths may be Washed rapidly; second, the most delicate fabric will not be injured by being washed by it.

Having thus described my invention, I will now set forth my claim.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the exible covering With an elastic stufing or iilling, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY L. MESERVEY.

Witnesses:

P. E. TEsoHEMAcHER, N. W. STEARNS. 

